Health Careers Advising

Pharmacist

Breadcrumb

Pharmacist

Pharmacy is the science of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing, and monitoring medications.

As a pharmacist, you provide pharmaceutical services to both patients and medical practitioners. You may prepare compounds, fill prescriptions, consult with patients on the uses and safety of medications, and ensure that medications are being supplied and used within the laws and regulations of the state in which you practice. You will also monitor patient history in order to safeguard against interactions or potential adverse effects of medications. Other health care professionals rely upon pharmacists to select and administer the proper medications to best treat their patients.

There are many different types of pharmacy practice beyond the retail pharmacy that most people are familiar with. Pharmacists work in a variety of locations, including community pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, mail order pharmacy centers, government agencies, and industry settings. There are also a number of different types of pharmacist specialities including compounding, geriatrics, emergency medicine, industry, and pediatrics.

Pharmacy combines science, patient care, technology, math, and counseling. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned in the health journey of a patient to impact outcomes in many different settings. They have direct access to patients, which affords them the opportunity to become a trusted advisor and potentially spot issues ahead of the patient’s physician.

There are several skill that are required for success in the field of pharmacy that include but are not limited to:

Communication
Problem Solving
Strong Active Listening Skills
Empathy
Accuracy and Precision
Ethics
Counseling
Comfort with Technology
Patient-Centered Care

Prerequisite courses for pharmacy programs vary by school so you will need to check with each school to which you plan to apply. A general list of prerequisite courses include (but is not limited to) the following:

General Chemistry I & II
Organic Chemistry I & II
Biology I & II
Anatomy and Physiology (or A&P I & II)
Microbiology
Physics
Calculus
English Composition
Communication or Public Speaking
Psychology or Sociology
Statistics

The PCAT, a specific test for pharmacy schools, was retired in January of 2024 and is no longer required for admission. Some schools may accept other standardized tests, such as the MCAT or GRE, but these are not required for admission. Because the PCAT has only recently been discontinued, schools’ requirements may continue to evolve, so it is important that you check with them directly.

At the end of your junior year, you should begin to prepare your application, ask for letters of recommendation, and write your personal essay. Most schools suggest applying early in the Fall (October or November) of your senior year. There is a common application (PharmCAS) for pharmacy programs, so you only need to apply once and send that application to your programs of choice.